Meet Your UC Merced Student Staff

Captain

Jefferson Duong
He / Him / His

Hometown: Torrance, CA 

High school: North Torrance High School 

Major: Management and Business Economics

Hey Everyone! My name is Jefferson Duong, and I am a 3rd-year management and business economics major from Torrance California. I love to play sports but at the end of the day, nothing beats just hanging out with my friends. On campus I am the treasurer of the Vietnamese Student Association so make sure you come and say hi! Overall, I chose UC Merced because of its amazing and inclusive community, and the opportunities that are given to those of us who attend. I hope to see y'all soon :)

Co-Captain

Raul Ramirez
He / Him / His

Hometown: Oakland, CA

High school / Community College:  San Lorenzo High School / Merced Community College 

Major: Mechanical Engineering 

Hello! My name is Raul Ramirez, I’m a second-year Mechanical Engineer transfer student from Merced College. Although I attended the college of Merced, I was born and raised in Oakland, CA. I enjoy playing soccer and basketball, so if any of y’all see me in the court or field, feel welcome to stop by and get a match going. I chose UC Merced because of the knitted community, the opportunities it has to offer, and the astounding growth the University has achieved. My plans after graduation are to get involved with research groups to expand my knowledge, get hands-on experience, and also help solve real-world related problems. I hope to see you all on one of my tours here at UC Merced, where one day you may want to consider becoming a Bobcat too.

Adelina Murrilo
She / Her / Ella

Hometown: Montebello, CA

High school: MSTMA at Theodore Roosevelt High School

Major: Sociology

Minor: Natural Science Education Program (NSED)

Hello! My name is Adelina Murillo, I was born and raised in Montebello, California and I am currently a third year student at UC Merced. I am majoring in Sociology and minoring in the Natural Science Education Program (NSED). In the future and with the help of my minor, I hope to become an elementary school teacher and be able to work and shape the lives of future generations. Some things I enjoy doing in my free time are spending time with friends, fishing, watching Disney movies, crocheting or just taking naps. On campus I am also involved in one of the student-run clubs, Hermanas Unidas and I am also planning on working with the SATAL research team here on campus to further the improvement and the quality of education being given at UC Merced. Overall, Merced has been the right choice for me because of the strong sense of community that has really allowed me to fit in perfectly and find myself and some of my favorite people! I look forward to sharing my experiences with you as your tour guide!

Alinee Villarreal
She / Her

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA 

High school: Environmental Science High School (ESHS)

Major: Psychology

Minor: Spanish

Hello! My name is Alinee Villarreal and I'm a 3rd year here at UCM studying Psychology and minoring in Spanish. I'm from Los Angeles California and like to spend my time watching movies or listening to a good podcast. On campus I explored a couple clubs such as El Club de Espanol, Ballet Folklorico, and a couple more. However, the reason I chose UC Merced was because of their dedication to their mission of providing aid in the professional as well as social development of first generation students like myself.

Bethany Moody
She / Her / Hers

Hometown: Fresno, CA  

High school: Central East High School

Major: Psychology

Hello! My name is Bethany Moody. I am a second-year Psychology Major from Fresno, California. I am a Pre-Health student hoping to find myself working towards my Physician's Assistant Certification after graduation. I chose UC Merced, not only because of how close to home it is, but the school's overall ambiance, close-knit community, and research opportunities. In my free time, you can find me reading in the library, going for walks around campus, or being part of events held in Downtown Merced!

Des Baltazar
She / Her

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA 

High school: Animo Jackie Robinson High School

Major: Psychology

Minor: Sociology

Hello everyone!!! My name is Desiree Baltazar. I am currently a 3rd year majoring in psychology and minoring in sociology. I am from Los Angeles California. My hobbies are painting,doing makeup, and hanging out with friends. As for my involvement on campus I am in a sorority called Phi Mu and a club called Hermanas Unidas. The reason why I chose Merced is because of the diversity within the campus and the amount of opportunities as being a first generation student.

Diana Cervantes
She / Her / Hers

Hometown: Livingston, CA  

High school: Livingston High School

Major: Biological Sciences

Hello everyone! My name is Diana Cervantes, and I am currently a first-year student. I am majoring in Biological Sciences with an emphasis on Human Biology to pursue a pre-med track. My dream is to become an ophthalmologist in the Central Valley. My hometown is Livingston, CA. In my free time you can catch me at the gym, spending time with friends, and especially listening to music! Here on campus, I am involved in the pre-med club, Diversified Doctors at UCM, as well as the Health Scholars Program. I chose UCM because it is the university in which I felt at home! On top of the generous financial aid and countless resources that UCM has to offer, I knew I wanted to be a part of the growing community UCM has built. I am super excited to be one of your fellow tour guides and tell you all about UCM! Welcome future Bobcats, friends and family!

Eliana Torres-Lara
She / Her / Hers

Hometown: Lawndale, CA

High school: Geffen Academy at UCLA

Major: Environmental Engineering

Hello! My name is Eliana Torres-Lara and I'm a 3rd year environmental engineering major. I was born in the Bay (Oakland) and raised in LA, so I personally claim both to be my hometown! I enjoy singing and dancing, going outdoors on different excursions, and playing with my dog, Kosmo. One of my favorite things to do here in Merced is going out with friends Downtown and check out the night markets. Aside from being a tour guide, I'm an Intramural Sports Supervisor and the External Social Chair for La Familia de UC Merced.

Isabella Fuentes-Yip
She / Her / Ella

Hometown: Livingston, CA

High school: Livingston High School

Major: Chemistry

Hi everyone! My name is Isabella Fuentes and I am currently a 3rd year Chemistry major here at UC Merced. I am from Livingston, CA which is only 30 minutes away from campus! Outside of school I train and do karate here in Merced, as I am currently a 3rd degree black belt. Besides karate, I also love to read and watch Netflix/Hulu or even just hang out with family and friends! I chose to continue my studies here at UC Merced just because it is very close to home and the campus has all the resources I need.

Jasmine Junior
She / Her

Hometown: Redlands, CA

High school: Redlands High School

Major: Public Health

Minor: Psychology

Hello, my name is Jasmine I am a second year here at UC Merced. My major is Public Health but before it was in Biological Sciences. I am from the Inland Empire which is about an hour from LA. Here at UCM we have many hidden gems on campus my favorite is the beautiful sunset view from the third floor of the library. It always takes my breath away. Somethings I like to do in town is going to watch movies or go to market nights. I choose UCM because I wanted a change of scenery. It's a slower pace compared to my hometown, and I also love the quietness.

Jaylynn Lamb
She / Her

Hometown: Linden, CA 

High school / Community College: Linden High School/San Joaquin Delta College

Major: Psychology

Hey y'all! My name is Jaylynn, and I am a first year here at UC Merced where I am currently studying psychology. On campus, I am involved in the Kappa Kappa Gamma social sorority as well as being an officer and founding member of the Photography Club. In my free time, I enjoy all things crafty, over the pandemic I actually started my own candle making business! I am from Linden, California which is a small town about an hour north of Merced, known solely for cherries and baseball. I chose UC Merced, because I loved the small-town community (similar to where i'm from) and I was still relatively close to my family. After graduation, I plan to go back to school in order to receive my Ph.D is psychology, and practice in the field of developmental psychology. I look forward to sharing my experience with all of you, and lastly Go Bobcats!

Jennah Zambrano
She / Her

Hometown: Manteca, CA 

High school: Manteca High School 

Major: Pre-Med Psychology 

Hello, my name is Jennah (Jenn), I am a 3rd Year, Pre-Med Psych. During my free time I enjoy, karaoke, hanging out with friends, driving and eating. On campus I am involved with Helping Hands UCM Club as their Social Media Director. Fun fact, Merced’s hidden gem is the field behind Half Dome facing the lake at sunset -- check it out!  My favorite thing to do in Merced is find new places to eat with my friends. Lastly, I chose UC Merced because I’m close to home and I love the environment.

Katelin Cortez
She / Her / Hers

Hometown: Corcoran, CA

High school: Corcoran High School

Major: Political Science / Sociology

Hello, my name is Katelin Cortez and I'm a third year double majoring in Political Science and Sociology! My hometown is Corcoran, CA. Some of my hobbies when not studying for a midterm are spending time with dogs, and taking care or buying new plants. My favorite thing to do in Merced is going out to Merced Lake Yosemite and reading a book. I look forward to sharing all of my incredible experiences of UC Merced to you!

Kayla McCoy
She / Her

Hometown: Paradise, CA

High school: COREButte Charter High School

Major: Civil Engineering

Hello and welcome to UC Merced! My name is Kayla McCoy. I am a second year civil engineering major from Paradise, CA. On campus I am a member of the Society of Women Engineers, the Yosemite Leadership Program, the Delta Gamma Social Sorority, and a board member of Bobcat Model United Nations. Some of my hobbies include reading, playing video games, paddleboarding, and hiking. I chose UC Merced because of all of the opportunities the school affords for undergraduate students to participate in research, something I would like to do in the future. I look forward to sharing all of my incredible experiences of UC Merced to you!

Miguel Cruz
He / Him

Hometown: Santa Ana, CA

High school: Middle College High School

Major: Civil Engineering

Hey everyone, my name is Miguel Cruz, I’m a second-year Civil Engineering major. I’m from Santa Ana, CA, right next to Disneyland. I love to play video games and make music in my free time, specifically music like John Frusciante, I just love his playing style and base mine off his. I’m not involved with too much on campus, but I am a member of SHPE, and I am the Outreach Chair for CESA, but we have yet to grow. One thing I love doing in Merced is going downtown to watch a movie with my buddies and getting tacos afterward. I’d tell you where that is but I’m gatekeeping it, respectfully.

Nicky Lor
He / Him

Hometown: Merced, CA

High school: El Capitan

Major: History

Minor: Natural Science Education Program 

Hello, my name is Nicky Lor. I am in my third year at UC Merced. My major is History, and my minor is Natural Science Education (NSED). I plan to major in that so I can become a history teacher. I am from Merced Cal, born and raised in Merced. Some of my hobbies are hanging out with friends and playing video games. One on-campus involvement will be the Hmong Student Association (HSA), a social Culture club promoting the Hmong culture. One of the reasons I chose UC Merced is that it has many opportunities to offer and a lovely community. I'm excited to see you all here!

Rebecca Rodriguez
She / Her

Hometown: Inglewood, CA 

High school: Hawthorne High School

Major: Management and Business Economics

Hi! My name is Rebecca Rodriguez and I’m currently a third year majoring in Management and Business Economics. With that, I would love to eventually run and manage my very own hair salon. I came to UC Merced because I’m from a big city and wanted a change of pace. To me, Merced seemed like the perfect place to become a strong, independent individual, and learn more about myself. And on that note, my favorite thing to do on campus is have picnics at the amphitheater by the little lake with friends or even alone. On campus, I am part of the dance team and participate in many volunteer opportunities.